What Do Goldilocks, Temperature, and Revelation 3:15-16 have in common?

Many of us remember the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. The chairs were too big or too small. The soup was too hot or too cold. The beds were too hard or too soft. Eventually, she discovered one of each which was “just right.”

This morning on the Today Show the hosts were commenting about the unusually cool summer this has been in many locations. The complaint was we have not had enough weather with ninety degree temperatures, particularly in the Midwest and Eastern regions. Last winter the complaint was about unusually cold winter in the same regions. One woman complained that this year’s public swimming pool pass was really expensive compared to the number of times the weather was warm enough to go swimming.

A common complaint in many congregations is the temperature in the worship area is either too hot or too cool. Both complaints can be heard from different people on the same Sunday. One creative pastor installed a new thermostat conspicuously located in the worship area. Members would be free to set the temperature at whatever level they wanted. Those who were too hot could turn it down. Those who were to cool could turn it up. After adjusting the temperature setting neither those too cool nor too hot complained. Most felt the temperature was “just right.” What the membership was not told the thermostat was non-functional.

Revelation 3:15-16 is addressed to a particular congregation, Laodicea, but it can be attributed to many congregations, today. ¹⁵ “I know your works; you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot. ¹⁶ So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” Out of fear of offending; in an effort to avoid conflict; in an attempt to keep everybody happy, many congregations can be considered lukewarm. Generally, as pastors, we say we wish they were either hot or cold. The truth be told, we are just as happy if they are lukewarm.

A lukewarm congregation is pretty easy to serve. Sermons do not have to be challenging nor addressing any controversial topics. As long as just enough money comes in to fund this year’s budget there is no need for an assertive stewardship emphasis throughout the year. Contributing to the local food and clothing pantry lets us off the hook from addressing the real causes and issues of poverty in our community. The members may be spiritually bankrupt and biblically illiterate, but as long as worship attendance it at a decent level we can assume they are being fed.

Lukewarm congregations are an indictment of us as pastors. We encourage lukewarm congregations by being lukewarm ourselves. Do we have any passion for evangelism, for social justice, for the spiritual development of the people we are called to serve? I admit, as a pastor and as a presbytery executive, I was just as happy when the congregations and presbytery I served were lukewarm. They were easier to serve; there was less conflict; there were fewer "slings and arrows of outrageous fortune" being hurled in my direction. It was easier to “keep the peace” than to deal with conflict.

Is being a lukewarm pastor serving a lukewarm congregation faithful?